230 The Ohio Journal of Scie?ice [Vol. XX, No. 7, 



The web varies somewhat but the typical web is a horizontal 

 sheet, wide at the outer end and with a tubular retreat or 

 funnel at the other. The web is concave and often has an 

 irregular network of threads above it which serves as a barrier 

 to arrest the flight of insects. 



When in the grass, the web is made close to the ground and 

 is firmly constructed. The sheet is made by stretching long 

 threads from one side to the other, the threads being nearly 

 parallel. Many fine threads cross these in all directions. At 

 first the web does not have much thickness, but every time the 

 spider crosses it she spins a dragline and the continued use of 

 a web for a long time makes a rather thick structure. If the 

 spider is not molested it will use the same web and stay in 

 the same place for months. 



The tubular retreat is used for emergencies. If too large an 

 insect chances to get into the web or if the spider is pursued 

 by one of the Pompilidae, it retreats to the tube and escapes 

 into the grass or if the web is high enough off the grass, the 

 spider runs out the retreat and round on the bottom of the web 

 and comes upon the top of it again. 



Agelena will attack insects much larger than itself. On one 

 occasion I observed one of the Pompilidae capture a small orb 

 weaver, Aranea thaddens, which had. made its web over the web 

 of this funnel weaver's. The small orb weaver was a heavier 

 load than the wasp could carry and both the wasp and its 

 victim fell down upon the web of the funnel weaver. Agelena 

 rushed out from the retreat and gave battle with the wasp. 

 The wasp became frightened and flew away leaving the funnel 

 weaver in possession of the orb weaver, which was carried back 

 to the retreat, where it was eaten. 



If the web of this spider is destroyed, it can be reconstructed 

 in a single day. The web is very different in position from the 

 orb weavers and the spiders instead of hanging on the web, 

 run about on the top surface of it. There is nothing adhesive 

 on the web and many insects are able to get off the web in a 

 short time. 



The manner of capturing insects is also quite different from 

 that of the orb weavers. When an insect falls upon the web the 

 spider rushes out from the retreat and sinks its cheliceras into 

 it. After the first thrust she usually withdraws a short distance 

 to see how her victim is faring. If the insect has not been 



